Abstract: When a control part is restarted, an average of a stored standard operation quantity and a stored operation quantity immediately before a stop of the control part is calculated. The average operation quantity (for instance, laser power) is applied to an image output part, and a resulting control quantity (for instance, a development density) is measured. A control rule retrieval unit calculates adaptabilities of respective control rules with respect to the measured control quantity, thereby synthesizing an application control rule. A new operation quantity is determined based on the application control rule and an error of the measured control quantity from a target value.

Abstract: Solid and highlight developed image patches are formed, and their densities are measured with a development density sensor and stored into a control case memory as data constituting a control case. Two additional control cases are similarly stored into the control case memory while a scorotron set value and a laser set value are varied. Receiving these control cases through a status quantity comparator and a cluster memory, a control rule calculation unit determines a control rule. By properly combining the control rules, new operation quantities, i.e., a scorotron set value and a laser set value, are determined.

Abstract: When a status transition occurs, case data are collected and a new control rule is generated based on those case data. A control rule memory can store a plurality of control rules. A plurality of control rules are selectively read out from the control rule memory, and combined in accordance with their adaptabilities into an application control rule. An error between a target value and a measured control quantity is applied to the application control rule, to thereby calculate a correction value of an operation quantity. An operation part of an image forming apparatus main body is controlled based on the correction value so that the control quantity becomes the target value.

Abstract: An optical coupler is formed comprising a pair of optical fiber ferrules having four optical fibers fastened within a throughhole in the ferrule, a pair of contiguous graded index rod lenses, and a thin film between the graded index rod lenses which partially transmits incident light and reflects the remainder. One ferrule is attached to one graded index rod lens and another ferrule is attached to the other graded index rod lens. The central axes of the ferrules are aligned to the optical axes of the graded index rod lenses. The optical axis of each optical fiber in one ferrule is aligned to the optical axis of a corresponding optical fiber in the other ferrule by rotating the former ferrule around its optical axis so that the four optical fibers of the ferrule are symmetrically arranged with respect to the optical axis of the graded index rod lens to which the ferrule is attached. The ferrules, graded index rods lenses and thin film are fastened together.

Abstract: An optical fiber ferrule assembly is equipped with an angular index for indicating a polarization plane of an optical fiber. The assembly includes a polarization plane maintaining optical fiber, an optical fiber ferrule for accommodating the optical fiber so that the optical fiber is fixed thereto in a state that a tip end surface of the optical fiber is exposed, and an angular index member. The angular index member is rotatable with respect to the ferrule. The optical fiber is fixed to the optical fiber ferrule and the angular index member and the optical fiber ferrule are temporarily assembled. Then the tip end surface of the optical fiber is enlarged for observation to decide the polarization plane thereof on the basis of its configuration, and the angular index member and the optical fiber ferrule are relatively rotated. They are then fixed to each other so that the angular index makes a predetermined angle relative to the polarization plane.

Abstract: An optical fiber assembly which can be used without deterioration in the performance thereof even when it is used under a severe environmental condition wherein temperature frequently changes over a wide temperature range. The structure of an optical fiber assembly in accordance with the invention may be applied to an optical fiber connector plug and the like. The optical fiber connector plug is constituted by an optical fiber having an end with a protective sheath thereof removed, a ferrule of a support for fixing of the optical fiber, a thin-wall metal pipe which receives the protective sheath on the optical fiber and fixes it by crimping a plurality of places thereof, and a metal supporting sleeve with a flange which is provided as an integral part of the ferrule and which supports the thin-wall metal pipe. The optical fiber and the thin-wall metal pipe are fixed to the ferrule and the metal supporting sleeve, respectively, at the same time by gluing with thermosetting resin.

Abstract: A method of accurately recording and reproducing an analog signal having a wide dynamic range with a small amount of information first samples amplitude values of an analog waveform which are then converted to a digital signal. Plural frames of data are stored in a buffer circuit. For each frame, the differences between successive values of the digital signal are extracted to form a second digital signal having an amount of shift S common to one frame, which is established and stored in a memory. In response to the amount of shift, the second digital signal is shifted toward lower bits thereof to compress the second digital signal into a third digital signal having less bits which is stored. When the difference values are small, the amount of shift is reduced to suppress errors produced during compression. When the difference values are large dynamic range is obtained, thereby coping with great signal variations without neglecting small variations in the analog signal.

Abstract: According to this invention, an interrupt right control unit transfers an interrupt right to a succeeding processor module. When the processor module has the interrupt right, and the interrupt right control unit receives an interrupt signal, the interrupt right control unit outputs an interrupt signal to a corresponding processor and stops transferring the interrupt right. The corresponding processor then sets the priority levels for the processor modules and performs interrupt processing in response to the interrupt signal. Then the corresponding processor causes the interrupt right control unit to continue the transferring of the interrupt right.

Abstract: A process of press-forming a strip fed in its longitudinal direction to continuously produce press-formed articles with arbitrary lengths through forming stages including a draw-forming stage, the process comprising the steps of: a first step of continuously forming a semi-finished product having a middle portion formed over a length corresponding to that of a final product and an unformed leading end connected to an unformed following end of a neighboring antecedent semi-finished product, while feeding a strip in the direction of the strip length at a selected pitch; a second step of simultaneously draw-forming the unformed leading end of the semi-finished product and the unformed following end of the neighboring antecedent semi-finished product to a selected shape, the ends being connected to the respective semi-finished products; and a third step of separating scrap from peripheries of the leading end of the semi-finished product and the following end of the neighboring antecedent semi-finished product.

Abstract: A full-color image printing method and apparatus operate to form mono-color toned images of individual color components using multiple, e.g., four, mono-color imaging units provided in correspondence to the color components and single-lined screen processors provided in correspondence to the imaging units, and overlap the mono-color toned images sequentially to produce a full-color image on a sheet of print paper. The screen angle is made different among the mono-color toned images and the line pitch of the screen is made virtually equal for all mono-color toned images with the intention of retaining a high-grade color quality and preventing the degradation of picture quality such as a degraded tone quality.

Abstract: To produce deep-drawn articles having various lengths by effecting forming and trimming without an increase in the production cast, a process comprises the steps of: a first step of press-forming a blank in the portions corresponding to both ends of a deep-drawn product having a desired length to form a semi-deep-drawn product in the form of a vessel having both ends deep-drawn to a vessel form and an unformed mid-length portion; and a second step of press-forming the unformed mid-length portion of the semi-deep-drawn product to complete a deep-drawn product in the form of a vessel.

Abstract: An optical fiber termination device wherein temperature rise is minimized when light power is high or a power laser is used therewith. A first optical fiber is connected to a second optical fiber by fusing the core of the first optical fiber to the clad of the second optical fiber with a discharge generated between electrodes. The first optical fiber is inserted into a hole at the center of a ferrule and then the first optical fiber is fastened to the ferrule by fusing them. Thereafter, the edge surface of the ferrule is finished by polishing it. The second optical fiber is covered with a protective cover. Light coming from the core of the first optical fiber is incident on and scattered into the clad of the optical fiber. The light reflected toward the light source is greatly decreased by this structure.

Abstract: An optical attenuator comprising an optical fiber and at least a light attenuating portion disposed on the optical fiber. The light attenuating portion is formed such that a part of the optical fiber is heated by an opposing pair of discharge electrodes or gas burners and then compressed in the axial direction to provide a spherically contoured light attenuating portion or pulled in the axial direction to provide a light attenuating portion having a reduced diameter. In addition, a method and an apparatus for producing an optical fiber of the foregoing type are disclosed. The method is practiced by way of the steps of heating a part of an optical fiber and then physically deforming the heated part to serve as a light attenuating portion by compressing or pulling it in the axial direction.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus for playing an optical disc carrying information in a form of pits laid along a track on the disc, which comprises a light beam for reading the information by forming a beam spot on the disc through an objective lens, a device for displacing the beam spot in a radial direction of the disc, a 4-division optical detector having 4 detecting elements for electro-optically converting a beam of light reflected from the beam spot to electrical signals, a first pair of the 4 detecting elements being arranged correspondingly to one side of the track and a second pair of them being arranged correspondingly to another side of the track, a first multiplier for multiplying respective outputs of the first pair of the 4 detecting elements each other, a second multiplier for multiplying respective outputs of the second pair of the detecting elements each other, and a subtracting device for producing a difference value between respective outputs of the first and second multipliers, and the displacing

Abstract: A light attenuating element comprising a ferrule and two optical fibers inserted through the ferrule along an optical axis thereof is disclosed. The inner ends of both the optical fibers are cut with a predetermined inclination angle and spaced from each other with a predetermined distance therebetween to obtain a required light attenuation value. A light attenuating element including an alignment sleeve into which two ferrules each having an optical fiber inserted therethrough are fitted with a predetermined distance being maintained between the foremost ends thereof is also disclosed.

Abstract: An acoustic signal synthesizer stores a plurality of different acoustic data and includes a separate D-A converter connected to receive each of the different acoustic data. The D-A converters are responsive to separate envelope generators for controlling their respective outputs. A controller controls the output of the acoustic data to the respective D-A converter and simultaneously controls the respective envelope generator output. The output of the converters are mixed.